title: Codon optimization of the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) capsid gene leads to increased gene expression in Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (Sf9) cells.
abstract: Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is contagious and highly lethal. Commercial vaccines against RHD are produced from the livers of experimentally infected rabbits. Although several groups have reported that recombinant subunit vaccines against rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) are promising, application of the vaccines has been restricted due to high production costs or low yield. In the present study, we performed codon optimization of the capsid gene to increase the number of preference codons and eliminate rare codons in Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (Sf9) cells. The capsid gene was then subcloned into the pFastBac plasmid, and the recombinant baculoviruses were identified with a plaque assay. As expected, expression of the optimized capsid protein was markedly increased in the Sf9 cells, and the recombinant capsid proteins self-assembled into virus-like particles (VLPs) that were released into the cell supernatant. Rabbits inoculated with the supernatant and the purified VLPs were protected against RHDV challenge. A rapid, specific antibody response against RHDV was detected by an ELISA in all of the experimental groups. In conclusion, this strategy of producing a recombinant subunit vaccine antigen can be used to develop a low-cost, insect cell-derived recombinant subunit vaccine against RHDV.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China.
authors.forename: Jingpeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Chunchun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Zongyan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chuanfeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guangqing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003062:Codon / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D017929:Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D061987:Sf9 Cells; D018411:Spodoptera; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D003062:Codon; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines; C081149:viral protein 60, rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus
keywords: Spodoptera frugiperda 9 cells; capsid protein; codon optimization; rabbit hemorrhagic disease